Beautiful Nights by Nina George

 3.5/5 Stars- Beautiful Nights is an intense and poetic novel,  set on the coast in France, that explores the complexities of desire, self-discovery, and forbidden connections. 

The story centers on Claire, a behavioral biologist whose seemingly perfect life has begun to feel like a cage. Frustrated by a stagnant marriage and her husband's quiet infidelities, Claire grapples with a sense of unfulfilled longing.  Her annual summer holiday to Brittany takes an unexpected turn when her son, Nico, brings along his new girlfriend, Julie. Julie is herself at a crossroads, questioning if her relationship with Nico aligns with what she wants out of life.

I enjoyed the setting and the message about self discovery.  I also loved that women were advocating what was best for themselves.  However this book did not always flow for me.  It was translated so there were some passages that didn't mean as much to me.  For example there was talk about using vous instead of tu when addressing characters.  I loved Nina George's other novel, "The Little French Bistro," so I was expecting this to be similar but it couldn't be more different.  

Beautiful Nights is ultimately a powerful story about becoming who you are truly meant to be. For me though I just wanted more to the story and the ending left me a little unsettled.